Toll Drivers Unanimously Ratify First Time Contract

On December 30, 2012, the port drivers at Toll UNANIMOUSLY ratified their first-ever contract (54 -0), with nearly 90% of the unit voting.

On April 11, 2012, these workers had an NLRB election that sent a very clear message to the company with a three to one (46-15) vote count in favor of forming a union in their work place. These brave Teamsters overcame Company intimidation and threats to sign a multi-year agreement that provides for job security, better wages and benefits, improved working conditions, and retirement language.

This is an historic contract since it has been more than three decades since any port drivers have become newly Unionized. In the 70s & 80s, deregulation and the miss classification of drivers (Owner Operators as Independent Contractors) created an environment where non-union companies were undercutting each other and the demise of unionized companies occurred because they could not compete. Truck driving is a core industry for the Teamsters and with the inception of “Change to Win” it was time to get back to these core industries.

Teamsters Port Division

The last “new” contract ratified in the ports that we know of was achieved in the late 80s. It is clear that the success of this agreement paves the way for all port drivers across the Country to speak up against their employers and become Brothers and Sisters of the Teamsters Union.

Teamsters Local 848 Secretary-Treasurer Eric Tate led the negotiations that brought these drivers the respect and dignity that ALL port employees most certainly deserve. “Local 848 is honored to represent these drivers,” stated Mr. Tate. “It is only through their perseverance and unwavering desire to become Teamsters that we were able to be successful in these difficult negotiations.”

Secretary Treasurer Eric Tate and Business Rep. Preston Richie explain line by line all the details of the new contract they negotiated along with Fred Potter and the negotiating committee of Toll drivers in this historic first time contract

They are the newest Unionized port drivers in the nation but will not be the last, thanks to their core belief that being a Union member provides a better life for their families, and this contract proves that. I would like to say thank you to the IBT, Vice President Fred Potter, Jason Gately & the rest of the port division, Vice President Randy Cammack & the rest of Joint Council 42 for their support of the port campaign and also to the representative of the freight division for Teamsters Local 848, Preston Richie for all of his hard work.

I hope every Teamster will welcome them with open arms into the Union as members of Teamsters Local 848 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.